Toilet cabinet



May 11, 1954 Filed May 8, 1953 o. R. SWEARINGEN 2,678,252

TOILET CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet l EC; .2 V 5 59 .15

Z I (Z? INVENTOR. 5 44 s .4 x2 1?. SWEA envaslv mm pww v 19mm ArralwvsVs y 1954 o. R. SWEARINGEN 2,578,252

TOILET CABINET Filed May 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR.

OSCAR E SWEAR/N65 A-Froe/vEVs Patented May 11, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENTOFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to toilet cabinets, such as are usually mountedin bathroom walls and similar locations, and more particularly to such acabinet having several mirror doors hinged thereon for disposition invarious angular positions relative to each other.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide an improved toiletor medicine cabinet which can be conveniently mounted in a buildingwall, such as a bathroom wall, to hold objects, such as toilet articles,cosmetic containers and medicine bottles; which includes a light fixturefor providing illumination both interiorly and exteriorly of thecabinet; which has several mirror doors hinged to the cabinet structurein a manner such that they may be disposed at various angular positionsrelative to each other; which has at least one door provided withmirrors on both sides thereof; and which is simple and durable inconstruction, economical to manufacture, easy to install, and neat andattractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a considerationof the following description and the appended claims in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a cabinet illustrative of theinvention shown mounted in a wall structure fragmentarily illustratedwith the cabinet in closed condition;

. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cabinet in open condition withthe associated wall fragmentarily illustrated;

Figure 3 is a transverse crosssectional view on an enlarged scale on theline 3--3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross sectional view on an enlarged scale onthe line 4-4 of Figure 1.

With continued reference to the drawings, the cabinet comprises arectangular box or body structure, as generally indicated at H), formedof a suitable sheet material and including a fiat back wall H, top andbottom walls 12 and 53 extending perpendicularly from the back wall atthe top and bottom edges of the back wall respectively and side walls [4and I5 extending perpendicularly from the back wall one along each sideedge of the back wall and joined at their top and bottom ends to thecorresponding side edges of the top and bottom walls.

The top, bottom and side walls of the cabinet are folded back at theiredges remote from the back wall II to provide a box structuresurrounding the open front end of the cabinet. The folded-back outerportion of the-top wall 12 provides a front wall It projectingperpendicularly upwardly from the outer edge of the top wall and anupper wall I! extending rearwardly from the top edge of the front wall16 to provide above the front portion of the top wall I2 a receptacle 18of rectangular shape. The upper wall I! is provided with an enlargedaperture 19 and a cover plate 20 is secured on the top of the upper wallby suitable means, such as the screws 2| in covering relationship to theaperture or opening I9. A light fixture 22 is mounted on the outer sideof the front wall Is by a nipple 23 extending through a centrallylocated aper-' ture in this front wall and a nut 24 threaded onto thenipple at the back or inner side of the front wall. Conductors 25 forthe light fixture 22 lead to the receptacle l8 and, if the light fixtureis a fixture for a gas type lamp, the ballast unit for the lamp may bedisposed in the receptacle 18. A lamp shade 26 is also secured to thefront wall I6 of the cabinet by the nipple 23 and nut 24 and overhangsthe lamp fixture 22.

While a particular lamp fixture and lamp shade have been illustrated andhereinabove described, it is to be understood that the fixture and shademay be varied without in any way exceeding the scope of the invention.

The refolded portion of the bottom wall I3 includes a bottom front wall28 depending perpendicularly from the outer edge of the bottom wall l3and a lower wall 29 spaced below and substantially parallel to thecorresponding portion of the bottom wall of the cabinet.

The side walls [4 and I5 of the cabinet are outwardly olfsetintermediate their width, as

indicated at 30 and 3| so that the portion of the cabinet disposedoutwardly of these offsets is wider than the portion of the cabinetbetween the offsets 30 and 3| and the back wall H of the cabinet. Thereturned outer portion of the side wall M provides a front Wall portion32 and an outer side portion 33 spaced from and substantially parallelto the corresponding por tion of the side wall 14 and the returned outerportion of the side wall l5 provides a flat front wall portion 34 and anouter wall portion 35 per pendicular to the front wall portion 34 andparallel to the outer portion of the side wall M. The outer portion 36of the side wall I5 between the offset 3! and the front wall portion 34is inclined slightly outwardly in a direction away from the oifset 3|for a purpose which will presently appear.

The front wall portions I6, 28, 32 and 34 all lie substantially in acommon plane which is parallel to the back wall ll of the cabinet andthe upper and lower wall portions ll and 2t and the outer wall portions33 and 35 extend rearwardly from this plane and terminate at their rearedges in a common plane which is parallel to the rear wall H anddisposed substantially medially of the thickness of the cabinet from therear wall I l to the open front side of the cabinet.

When the cabinet is mounted in a wall the portion of the cabinetrearwardly of the offsets 39 and 3| is preferably disposed between andsecured to two adjacent studdings 3'? and 38, of the wall constructionand the rear side of the box structure surrounding the open front sideof the cabinet is disposed against the outer surface of the plastercovering 39 of the wall so that the boxed front end of the cabinetprojects outwardly from the outer surface of the associated Wall, asillustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The outer wall portions 33 and 35 of the side walls of the cabinet areextended upwardly to close the ends of the compartment i8 provided bythe upwardly extending front wall It and the upper wall portion ll ofthe cabinet and a switch it for the lamp 22 is preferably mounted in anopening in the outer wall 35. A shelf 42 extends between the portions ofthe side walls 14 and I5 disposed rearwardly of the offsets 3i! and 35and above and substantially parallel to the bottom wall l3 to provide acompartment at between the bottom wall it and this shelf. A door 44hinged along its bottom edge to the bottom wall [3 along a line betweenthe offsets 3e and 3! is movable between a position in which it closesthe open front side of the compartment it, as illustrated in Figure 4,and a position in which it is disposed on the upper surface of the outerportion of the bottom wall in opening position relative to thecompartment #3.

Shelf brackets, as indicated at 55, are secured to the inner portions ofthe side walls above the shelf 42 and are preferably verticallyadjustable along the corresponding side walls and a shelf it, preferablyformed of glass, is supported at its ends on the corresponding shelfbrackets so that it is disposed above and substantially parallel to theshelf 22. One or more shelves 46 may be mounted in the rear portion ofthe cabinet, as may be desired, without in any way exceeding the scopeof the invention.

A first inner door 58 is disposed in the outer portion of the cabinetadjacent the offsets 3B and 3! when in closed position, and is hingedalong one edge to the cabinet side wall Hi near the outer edge of thisside wall by a hinge connection 49 having a butt 5% which extends from alocation near the offset 36 across the outer portion of the side wall Msubstantially to the outer edge of the side wall so that this door canbe swung between a closing position in which it is within the outerportion of the cabinet and parallel to the back wall I i, as illustratedin full lines in Figure 3, and a position in which it extends outwardlyof the open front side of the cabinet, as illustrated in broken lines inFigure 3. This door 48 has a mirror 5! at its side remote from the backwall II when the door is in closed position, as described above, whichmirror covers substantially the entire area of the door.

A second inner door 52 of the same size and shape as the first describedinner door 18 is disposed, when in closed position, in the outer portionof the cabinet i ii overlying the outer, mirror side of the door 48. Thedoor 52 is hinged along one edge to the same hinge connection 49 onwhich the door 48 is hinged and is provided at its side nearest the door48 and the back wall it with a mirror 53 which covers substantially theentire area of the door. The door 52 can also be swung out of the openfront side of the cabinet to a position in which it projects outwardlyfrom the cabinet, as illustrated in broken lines in Figure 3, to provideaccess to the space in the rear portion of the cabinet above the shelf42. It will be noted that the doors 4% and 52 have a height less thanthe height of the cabinet and have their lower edges disposedsubstantially at the level of the shelf 42 so that access to thecompartment 43 under the shelf 42 can be had without moving the doors 48and 52 away from their closed position.

An outer door 55 is hinged along one edge to the outer edge of the sidewall 15 of the cabinet by a piano type hinge 56 and is of a size andshape to close the entire open front side of the cabinet and overlap thefront wall portions 28, 2 and t l and partially overlap the upper frontWall portion Iii. This door is provided with mirrors 51 and 53 at therespectively opposite sides thereof and is movable between a position inwhich it is disposed against the front wall portions of the cabinet, asdescribed above and illustrated in full lines in Figures 3 and 4, and aposition in which it extends outwardly of the open front end of thecabinet, as indicated in broken lines in Figure 3. A latch spring 69 issecured to the outer side of the outer wall portion 33 of the cabinetand projects somewhat outwardly of the front wall portion 32 and a catch6| is carried on the free edge of the door 55 and engages with the latchspring 69 to releasably latch the door 55 in closed position. Anapertured lug 62 is mounted on the underside of the portion of the topwall [2 disposed forwardly of the offsets 3d and '3! and a rod 63 ispivotally connected at one end to the door 55 intermediate the length ofthe top edge of the door and extends slidably through the lug 62. A head64 is provided on the end of the rod 63 remote from the door 55 and acoiled compression spring 65 surrounds the rod 53 between the head M andthe lug 52 to provide a resilient stop which limits the opening movementof the door 55 so that the door will not be opened violently against theadjacent wall or an object mounted on the wall with danger of breakingthe mirrors carried thereby.

In the use of the cabinet, with the outer door 55 closed the mirror 58at the outer side of this door can be used for shaving and similarpurposes, the lamp 22 being illuminated or not as may be found necessaryor desirable. With the outer door open and disposed at an outwardlyinclining angle to the cabinet and with the second inner door 52 alsoopen and inclined outwardly relative to the cabinet, the first innerdoor 48 provides a front mirror and the doors 55 and 52 provide sidemirrors so that the face and both sides of the head can be viewed in themirrors, this position of the mirror doors providing a convenientarrangement for hair dressing and similar purposes.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore, intended to be embracedtherein.

What is claimed is:

1. A cabinet adapted to be mounted in a wall and comprising arectangular body of sheet material including a fiat back wall, top,bottom and side walls projecting perpendicularly from said back wallmarginally of the latter, said side walls being outwardly offsetintermediate their width to provide an inner cabinet portion and anouter cabinet portion wider than said inner portion and said top, bottomand side walls having their outer portions reversely folded to provide ahollow box structure surrounding said outer portion of the cabinet andadapted to bear substantially in the plane of the offsets in said sidewall against the outer surface of an associated building wall, a firstinner door disposed in the outer portion of said cabinet substantiallyparallel to said back wall and hinged along one edge to one of said sidewalls at the outer edge of the latter for swinging movements outwardlyof said cabinet, a second inner door disposed in the outer portion ofsaid cabinet adjacent the outer side of said first inner door and hingedalong one edge to said one side wall at the outer edge of the latter forswinging movements outwardly of said cabinet, and an outer door hingedalong one edge to the other of said side walls at the outer edge of thelatter for swinging movements into and out of closing relationship withthe open front side of said cabinet, said outer door having a mirror oneach side thereof, said first inner door having a mirror on the sidethereof remote from said back wall and said second inner door having amirror on the side thereof nearest said back Wall.

2. A cabinet adapted to be mounted in a wall and comprising arectangular body of sheet material including a fiat back Wall, top,bottom and side walls projecting perpendicularly from said back wallmarginally of the latter, said side walls being outwardly offsetintermediate their width to provide an inner cabinet portion and anouter cabinet portion wider than said inner portion and said top, bottomand side walls having their outer portions reversely folded to provide ahollow box structure surrounding said outer portion of the cabinet andadapted to bear substantially in the plane of the offsets in said sidewall against the outer surface of an associated building wall, a firstinner door disposed in the outer portion of said cabinet substantiallyparallel to said back wall and hinged along one edge to one of said sidewalls at the outer edge of the latter for swinging movements outwardlyof said cabinet, a second inner door disposed in the outer portion ofsaid cabinet adjacent the outer side of said first inner door and hingedalong one edge to said one side wall at the outer edge of thelatter forswinging movements outwardly of said cabinet, and an outer door hingedalong one edge to the other of said side walls at the outer edge of thelatter for swinging movements into and out of closing relationship withthe open front side of said cabinet, said outer door having a mirror oneach side thereof, said first inner door having a mirror on the sidethereof remote from said back wall, said second inner door having amirror on the side thereof nearest said back wall, said inner doors bothhaving their bottom edges disposed above the bottom wall of saidcabinet, and means providing a compartment in the rear portion of saidcabinet between said bottom wall and the bottom edges of said innerdoors.

3. A cabinet adapted to be mounted in a wall and comprising arectangular body of sheet material including a flat back wall, top,bottom and side walls projecting perpendicularly from said back wallmarginally of the latter, said side walls being outwardly ofisetintermediate their width to provide an inner cabinet portion and anouter cabinet portion wider than said inner portion and said top, bottomand side walls having their outer portions reversely folded to provide ahollow box structure surrounding said outer portion of the cabinet andadapted to bear substantially in the plane of the offsets in said sidewall against the outer surface of an associated building wall, a firstinner door disposed in the outer portion of said cabinet substantiallyparallel to said back wall and hinged along one edge to one of said sidewalls at the outer edge of the latter for swinging movements outwardlyof said cabinet, a second inner door disposed in the outer portion ofsaid cabinet adjacent the outer side of said first inner door and hingedalong one edge to said one side wall at the outer edge of the latter forswinging movements outwardly of said cabinet, and an outer door hingedalong one edge to the other of said side walls at the outer edge of thelatter for swinging movements into and out of closing relationship withthe open front side of said cabinet, said outer door having a mirror oneach side thereof, said first inner door having a mirror on the sidethereof remote from said back wall, said second inner door having amirror on the side thereof nearest said back wall, the top portion ofsaid box structure constituting a closed compartment above said topwall, and a light fixture mounted on the front wall of said compartmentabove said outer door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,006,481 Johnson Oct. 24, 1911 1,454,985 Tate May 15, 19231,598,821 Holland Sept. 7, 1926 1,966,800 Katzman July 17, 19342,062,646 Fox Dec. 1, 1966

